Sweet braid with pastry cream and hazelnut cream

To make the pastry dough, you will need all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, and cold water. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and then add it to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add in the cold water until the dough comes together. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, prepare the pastry cream. You will need milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator.

Next, prepare the hazelnut cream. You will need hazelnuts, sugar, milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Roast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow them to cool and then ground them in a food processor until they are finely chopped. In a saucepan, heat the milk and heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the ground hazelnuts. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape on a floured surface. Spread the pastry cream evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼ inch border around the edges. Then spread the hazelnut cream on top of the pastry cream. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice the log in half lengthwise and twist the two pieces together to create a braid. Lay the braided dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the braid is golden brown. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

In conclusion, a sweet braid with pastry cream and hazelnut cream is a delicious dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is a bit time-consuming to make, but the end result is well worth it. Your guests will be impressed by the beautiful presentation and the rich flavors. Don’t hesitate to make this dessert for your family or friends, it will definitely become a favorite!